


Free Fall

by lightwavesurfer



Series: Youths [5]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Adulthood, F/F, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Romance, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, and I live for dork maki, maki is a dork here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 19:36:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7545334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightwavesurfer/pseuds/lightwavesurfer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It feels like existential crisis, falling in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Free Fall

If she has to blame someone, it’ll be Honoka.

It’s full of regrets, and alcohol, and too many slurry voices and uncomfortable short dresses. Honoka pulls her aside and pours some more drink to her glass and saying “Let’s get you laid tonight!” and then, predictably, abandoning Maki for her designer girlfriend because Kotori is coming back from Milan—and ended with disaster because it is a fact that Maki and alcohol are never a good combination but she has drunk three shots of a very strong drink that almost burn her throat.

Maki stumbles into her front door, forehead pressing onto the wooden surface while her fingers slipping into her bag to look for keys. Maki groans and closes her eyes. She can taste the bitter bile on the back of her throat. It’s sticky. _Gross._

Her phone rings.

 _“Maki-chan!”_ Honoka’s voice is unnecessarily loud until Maki has to wince, “ _I see you talking with that girl. Nico was it? I hope you bring her home if you catch my drift. By the way, I took your keys. Don’t chicken out!”_

Maki sighs. She stares at her phone with her brain goes blank and her mouth turns dry. She’s a rational person—she’s a freaking surgeon and graduated with honor damn it! She needs to stay calm and try to call building management in case they have spare keys.

That’s what a rational person would do.

It turns out differently because Maki _is never rational when she’s drunk_ and her eyes start to water and Maki begins to sniff. Her brain starts asking Maki about why she even exists in this universe, which creates another pang in her chest that doesn’t seem to go away for a while, and Maki swears she’s really going to kill Honoka for this.

Maki starts to cry a minute later, sobbing and screaming while pounding to the door. “ _Honoka!”_ she screeches, “open the door! Honoka, please!” Her knees are on the floor and her headache gets considerably worse because the hallway is stupidly bright and the red dress she’s wearing starting to feel like a straitjacket.

She stops when someone touches her shoulder.

Her neighbor gives her a look that’s mixed between amused and sympathy.

“Looks like someone’s in trouble.”

Maki sniffs loudly. And cries.

*

This new neighbor came roughly two weeks after Maki moved in with Honoka. _‘She’s a model! No wonder she’s so pretty!’_ that’s what Honoka said and of course Maki answered with something smart like, ‘… _you say everyone is pretty so I can safely deduct our neighbor is basic at best_ ,’ which earned her a biting glare from Honoka.

But the woman is in fact pretty, a really pretty one that is, and she definitely looks good in her dark blue oversized shirt and how beautiful her hair is. Maki shared the elevator with her once and almost scoffed at how attractive this woman up close. Maki didn’t introduce herself though.

Now she’s inside the really pretty neighbor’s unit with the said neighbor is looking at her.

“I can’t get inside my room,” Maki blurts, rubbing at her eyes to push the tears like a lost child, “Honoka took my keys. And I’m drunk.”

She smiles. Amused. “That’s putting it lightly,” and she puts a glass of water in front of Maki. “Why did your friend do that?”

Maki sniffs, “Because she thinks I work too hard and I’m going to be forever alone because I forget to have fun, but I work to save lives! I’m a doctor and I like saving people’s lives because it’s what I’m _really good at_. She doesn’t understand because she’s a moron and I’m an idiot for getting drunk!”

The ridiculously pretty neighbor hands Maki her handkerchief. Her hand is small but the fingers are long and dainty.

“You can stay here for tonight,” she acknowledges with a smile and Maki can’t help but wonder how soft those lips might be, “we’ll call the building management tomorrow.”

Maki is never rational when she’s drunk, hence she nods her answer.

She can regret this tomorrow.

*

She wakes up at six, or so what her phone says, and asks herself why she’s in a bed. Her head hurts but she remembers that she was drunk last night and the pretty neighbor offered her a place to stay. Looking down, she sees herself wearing a tank top with cute blue shorts, which she doesn’t remember when she had it before deciding to go along with it.

The carpet is too soft against her feet as she stumbles out from the room. She opens the door, which she correctly ( _luckily_ ) guesses as the bathroom door, and stands in front of mirror.

Maki winces. Her face is a mess. _Well_ , she shrugs as she turns the faucet and splashes some water _, at least I didn’t smell like vomit_.

Her head is still pounding as Maki returns to the bedroom. The pretty neighbor is nowhere in sight.

Her face falls first onto the pillow and before her mind goes blank, Maki makes a mental note to herself.

_I should take her to lunch sometime._

*

She wakes up again and the sun is already high. There’s a sound of music ( _classical maybe?_ ), the smell of breakfast and coffee. She still wears the cute blue shorts, her phone is in her hands, and the pounding in her head still lingers.

Fortunately, her limbs are still working as Maki drags herself from the bed.

She opens the door and feels her cheeks burn when she sees the pretty neighbor standing near the dining table. She doesn’t know why, but maybe it’s because her consciousness finally catch up to her and Maki realized how embarrassing she was last night.

Maki clears her throat and the pretty neighbor turns around and smiles at her. She wearing a light yellow apron, a pair of blue sports bra, and denim shorts; her long hair is coiled up to a messy ponytail. The pretty neighbor is still too pretty and Maki feels her heart ache.

“Good morning,” she greets, putting a plate of bacon and pancakes on the table, “breakfast ready.”

Maki blinks. Her face flushes and she looks down at her toes. “Thank you. Sorry. I didn’t help you. I—” she closes her mouth to stop blubbering like a moron, “your bed is nice though.”

The pretty neighbor stands still for a solid ten seconds with wide eyes before letting out a laugh, a pretty laugh too because Maki is blushing because of embarrassment and _other things_. She puts two cups on the table and pours coffee to it.

“Sit down.”

Maki obeys. This apartment is too big for one person, but it’s clean and bright, and Maki feels jealous because her unit is never this neat. There’s a flower pot in the middle of the table and Maki can only watch the neighbor arranges everything. She takes a tiny sip of her coffee and feels somewhat shy. This has never happened before.

“I’m sorry,” Maki starts, putting her cup down, “I made quite a hassle last night.”

“It’s fine. Your crying was pretty cute honestly,” the pretty neighbor shrugs while taking a quick bite of her pancake, “don’t think too much about it.”

Maki blushes. She shouldn’t have but there’s something about this woman that makes her feel like she’s back being fifteen year old girl, and that’s bad.

“Honoka hasn’t changed at all, has she? It’s very irresponsible of her to take off your keys like that.”

“You know Honoka?”

 “We went to high school together,” she replies simply with a shrug. “My name is Umi by the way.”

 _Umi. Sea. No wonder she looks good in blue_. Maki blushes deeper and shifts on her seat. “Umi,” the name rolls easily on her tongue. Maki sees Umi’s face, the curl of Umi’s lips as she stares back at Maki.

“Sonoda Umi,” she finishes.

“Are you a model?”

A delicate frown forms on Umi’s brow. “I’m a photographer. Why do you ask?”

 _Because Honoka said so_. “Because you’re so pretty.”

If Maki has to blame something, she’s definitely blaming the alcohol still running in her system because _oh god Maki what have you done?_ Way to make yourself looking like a total creep in front of a neighbor you barely know. But Umi just smiles, like a really goofy and cute kind of smile, and blushes while sipping her coffee.

“You must be saying this to everyone you meet.”

“I’m just impulsive,” Maki breathes as she tries (and fails) to control her blush.

“Maybe you’re still drunk. I don’t blame you,” Umi replies dryly and Maki quietly agrees. “I can get really impulsive when I’m drunk too, though I’m not crying like you do.”

Maki smiles. Umi doesn’t sound condescending and that’s a good sign too. The knots on her back loosen as Maki slinks down her chair. The pounding in her head is getting better too, and Makin can focus on Umi’s face more clearly now.

“So, you’re a doctor?” Umi inquires and receives a nod from Maki, “will I get a free treatment if I ever catch a cold?”

Maki laughs. “No, but I can make you dinner. If you want.”

Umi’s eyes are looking bright either it’s because of the sunlight or something else.

“I’ll hold on to that.”

This is the beginning.

*

“So you’re going to date her,” Honoka says after Maki tells everything that happened last night. The girl is especially giddy with the prospect of her roommate finally landing a date, which irritates Maki even more. “And she seems to like you too.”

“Shouldn’t you greet her first? Umi said she knew you from high school,” Maki mutters, feeling the knots in her belly begins to form.

“We never attended the same class, so don’t blame me if I forget,” Honoka rolls her eyes, picking up the documents Maki’s currently working on. “Don’t change the subject. We’re talking about you here.”

Maki huffs and gathers all the documents. She needs to be going now. “And what do you want to talk about? That I’m a brilliant doctor with no chance of getting laid? I hope you’re more creative than that.”

Honoka pouts.

“That’s why I helped you.”

“You _are not helping_ , and that’s me putting it mildly.”

Honoka just shrugs. She pulls Maki by the neck with a wide grin on her fance. “At least you finally had the chance to know about Umi. It’s going to be easy from here. Take her to museum and both of you can talk about pretentious things like art and stuff. Then bring her to that fancy restaurant you like, talk a bit, and get laid. It’s easy!”

Maki’s face is as red as her hair until she almost guts Honoka on the ribs and runs away in embarrassment.

“You’re petty and I hate you.”

Honoka winks and slaps Maki on the back.

It’s just another day.

*

“Being a doctor must be a very busy job,” Umi comments as she strolls through supermarket’s aisle.

This grocery shopping was based purely on impulse. Maki had met Umi in the apartment’s lobby, still dressed in her bomber jacket and skinny jeans with a big duffel bag slung over her shoulder while looking tired. Maki asked Umi if she wanted to eat something and Umi answered she’d like to as long as it’s homemade, resulting this impromptu shopping, or date—whatever.

“It is, that’s why I have a break once in a while,” Maki answers as she pushes the cart down, “what about you? I bet you must have traveled around the world.”

“Just a quarter of it. It’s my dream actually. You can see a lot of different people and places,” Umi says while putting two cartons of milk into the cart, “But nothing beats coming home.”

“So you lived outside of Japan before this?”

Umi nods. “Yes. In San Francisco. I moved there after I finished high school. A pretty city, lots of things to see. You should visit it someday.”

Maki selects a bag of tomato.

 _No wonder Honoka doesn’t remember her_ , the doctor muses to herself.

“You like cooking?”Umi finally asks her again after Maki pays the groceries—after a brief argument with Umi because, really, Maki wants to impress her date and she thinks dividing the bills is out of the question.

“Yeah. It’s relaxing. Especially after a long day in the hospital,” Maki explains, “it’s the place where miracles and disasters are just seconds away,” Maki looks down at her hands, “like when lovers and parents are grieving. Or children who are too oblivious with how the world works,” she sighs and shakes her head, “I’ve seen worst.”

Umi’s face turns solemn. She scoots closer to Maki like the close distance is enough to comfort the redhead.

Maki’s breathing hitches when Umi touching her knuckles lightly. She must be really lonely if a slightest touch like this is enough to set her off. But Umi’s fingers are cool and comfortable and Maki will say she enjoy it if she has the courage.

Maybe she has a little crush on Umi after all.

*

Maki steps into the elevator with a heavy heart. This profession is really an eye-opener. She has seen everything, the best of people, and the worst of people; crying children, parents who should never have the right to be parents. Maki tries to convince herself that she’s used to it; that her heart is already numb, but she knows that she’s human and she’ll excuse herself as being emotional.

She stops in front of the door of her room, sparing a glance to Umi’s door and realizes that Sonoda is currently out of the country. Maki sighs. She really needs a mood booster right now.

_Wait, what? Since when does Umi become her mood booster?_

Maki shrugs the feelings away and enters the room. Honoka is with Kotori again and at this rate she’s definitely going to move in to her girlfriend’s house. Maki doesn’t bother to turn the lights on and proceeds to slump onto the bed, too tired to change her clothes. One lapse moment later her phone rings, a familiar number flashes on the screen.

 _“Long day? You didn’t reply my message,_ ” Sonoda’s voice is like cold water to her burning body. So comforting.

“Yeah. A kid got hit by a speeding car, critical, while the parents were busy blaming each other.”

Umi goes silent. _“Did you save her?_ ”

Maki’s eyes burn. “I did my best. Her condition is stable, but we still have to wait,” she answers with a slight husk in her voice. Maki turns on her side, hugging the pillow a bit too tight. “It still scares me.”

“ _Are you okay?”_

Maki shakes her head. “Yes,” she groans, “no. I feel like a wreck. It’s always something when I have to deal with children.”

_“Why?”_

A loud sigh escapes from Maki’s nose. “It’s like I’m trying to convince myself that I did a good job, that I saved them, although I often doubt myself because it’s a human’s life we’re talking about and there are some things I can’t control,” she breathes in to calm herself but her mouth is quicker than her reflexes and brain combined, “I wish you’re here because I really need a hug now.”

 _“I wish I’m there too_.”

Maki wipes her cheek dry and lets out a low laugh from her throat, feeling relieved all over. She’s tired but she still wants to stay awake, still wants to talk to Umi about anything, _everything_.

Crushing on someone is indeed taxing.

*

The next day, Umi sends her flowers and a pack of chocolate too.

Her colleagues tease her for the rest of the day.

It’s worth it.

*

Umi returns home a week later and visits Maki in her unit, with lots of souvenirs and beautiful photographs. They talk about many things, with bites and wines in between, and Maki can’t stop herself from staring at Umi because _oh god_ this girl has a really contagious laugh and her smile is really exuberant until Maki forgets every worse thing she’s encountered. It feels like falling in love.

The wine is coursing down her veins and Maki knows she’s tipsy, drunk, _and_ definitely going to make another mistake.  Maki realizes that the distance between her and Umi has decreased in a mere second. She can smell Umi’s perfume, a mixture of dew and honey, and her head swims. They’re so close, _too close_ —

Maki bites the bullet and presses her lips to Umi. It’s impulsive because Maki is drunk, but this time Maki convinces herself that she’s sober and she kisses Umi because she wants it. And she needs this, more like _craves_ for it. How many nights she had spent imagining Umi’s lips on hers? Her mind is reeling, head turns dizzy, and Maki pulls back because it feels too much and—

But Umi has her fingers latch on the back of Maki’s neck. And her mouth presses firmly on Maki’s, kissing her with gentleness and resolve that sends shivers down Maki’s spine. She opens her mouth to breathe but Maki is impatient and kisses Umi back, drags a soft groan from Umi’s throat. It really is too much, _too sudden_ , but Maki is in love and Umi probably feels the same too.

The pull apart and (no surprise there) Umi talks first.

“I’m not thinking,” she murmurs, squeezing the hem of Maki’s shirt, and looks down.

“We both are,” Maki croaks as she holds Umi’s hand in hers, “I’m going to say something lame. Please don’t hate me, but I—”

Umi kisses her again.

“I know.”


End file.
